Evan Treborn grows up in a small town with his single, working mother and his friends. He suffers from memory blackouts where he suddenly finds himself somewhere else, confused. Evan's friends and mother hardly believe him, thinking he makes it up just to get out of trouble. As Evan grows up he has less of these blackouts until he seems to have recovered. Since the age of seven he has written a diary of his blackout moments so he can remember what happens. One day at college he starts to read one of his old diaries, and suddenly a flashback hits him like a brick!

Dr. Redfield: Just think of your mind as a movie, you can pause, rewind or slow down any details you want.

Evan: Fuck Bag.

[Evan tells Kayleigh to cover her ears] Evan at 7: What time is it? Mr. George Miller: It's time for you to do what I tell you to do... Evan at 7: Wrong answer fuck bag. This is the very moment of your reckoning. In the next 30 seconds you're gonna open 1 of 2 doors. The first door will forever traumatize your own flesh and blood. Mr. George Miller: What's happening, how are you doing this? Evan at 7: It'll change your daughter from a beautiful child into an empty shell. Whos' only concept of trust was betrayed by her own sick pedophile father. Ultimately... it'll lead to her suicide. Nice Work Daddy. Mr. George Miller: Who are you? Evan at 7: Let's just say you're being closely watched, George. Your other option is... to treat Kayleigh like, say like a loving father treats his daughter. Sound okay to you, Papa? Mr. George Miller: Yes. Evan at 7: Listen close then fuckbag. You screw this up again - I'll flat-out castrate you. What you need to do, is discipline your son Tommy cause the kid is one sadistic pup. One last thing... [Evan whispers something in Kayleigh's ear] Kayleigh at 7: [yelling at her father] Don't ever touch me again! Mr. George Miller: I won't.

Nazi Inmate #1: Shit on my dick, or blood on my knife?

Evan: Tell me the Greek alphabet. Huh huh huh? Alpha beta...

Movie Trivia:

The teenage versions of Evan, Kayleigh, and Tommy go see Se7en (1995) at a movie theater that's also showing Dumb & Dumber (1994). Both of those movies, as well as this one, were released by New Line Cinema. And Elden Henson who plays the grown-up Lenny can also be seen in Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd (2003).

Evan's diaries have the same cover layout as the diaries of John Doe in Se7en (1995), also released by New Line Cinema. They are standard composition notebooks that are used by school children across the country every day.

Josh Hartnett, Seann William Scott, and Joshua Jackson were each offered the role of Evan.

When Evan wakes up in the sorority house, there is a "Bradbury University" pennant on the wall - a reference to Ray Bradbury.